title: Protective role of sodium selenite on histopathological lesions, decreased T-cell subsets and increased apoptosis of thymus in broilers intoxicated with aflatoxin B₁.
abstract: For evaluating the ability of selenium (Se) in counteracting the adverse effects of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁), two hundred 1-day-old male Avian broilers, divided into five groups, were fed with basal diet (control group), 0.3 mg/kg AFB₁ (AFB₁ group), 0.3 mg/kg AFB₁+0.2 mg/kg Se (+Se group I), 0.3mg/kg AFB₁+0.4 mg/kg Se (+Se group II) and 0.3mg/kg AFB₁+0.6 mg/kg Se (+Se group III), respectively. Compared with control group, the decreased relative weight of thymus and percentages of mature thymocytes, congestion in medulla and much debris in cortex of thymus, and the increased apoptotic thymocytes were observed in AFB1 group. However, supplied dietary sodium selenite could increase the relative weight of thymus and percentages of mature thymocytes, and alleviate histopathological lesions. Compared with AFB1 group, the percentages of apoptotic thymocytes detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling method and flow cytometry method in three +Se groups were decreased, the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax, through quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical method, in three +Se groups were decreased, while the expression of Bcl-2 was increased. The results indicate that sodium selenite supplied in the diet, through a mechanism of apoptosis regulation, may ameliorated AFB₁-induced lesions of thymus and accordingly improve the impaired cellular immune function.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Environmental Hazards of Sichuan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, China.
authors.forename: Kejie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Hengmin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Fengyuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhengli
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhicai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Junliang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Weimin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D000992:Antitoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005506:Food Contamination; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D018038:Sodium Selenite / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000992:Antitoxins; D030161:Avian Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D016604:Aflatoxin B1; D053148:Caspase 3; D018038:Sodium Selenite
keywords: Aflatoxin B(1); Bcl-2; Caspase-3; Sodium selenite; T-cell subsets; Thymus